2012-Apr 05: Studying on a visitor visa in New Zealand

Visa Pak 59 - Clarification for staff about studying on a Visitor Visa under V2.35.

Visa Paks

5 April 2012

There have been some instances where applicants were advised, or had assumed, that their children can study as domestic students while on visitor visas because:

  • the children were going to be studying for no more than three months (V2.35) and
  • the parents were working in New Zealand - either on short term work visas or on special visitor visas (such as visiting academics).

This is not correct. To be a domestic student the requirements in U3.35 must be met.

In some instances Immigration New Zealand has had to waive application fees and grant student visas to these children as service recovery - because correct information was not passed on to the principal applicants when their visas were granted.

Short term work visa holders

Please inform your staff that while INZ instructions allow children to attend school on a visitor’s visa for up to three months, to be treated as a domestic student (i.e. not pay the international fees), the children need to meet the definition in U3.35. If they do not meet that definition they will be required to pay the full fees.

 If you do come across cases where children are coming to New Zealand on a visitor visa with the intention to attend school for up to three months, please ensure that the parents are aware of the implications.

Special visitor visas

People who are eligible for a special visitor visa (such as visiting academics) may choose to apply for a work visa under specific purpose (WS2) if they want their children to be eligible to study in New Zealand as domestic students. The intention of the special visitor categories is to be facilitative, so if an applicant chooses to apply for a work visa, so that their children can get student visas and attend school as domestic students, then a facilitative approach should be taken.